Laos information

By air
Laos has several international airports in Vientiane, Luang Prabang, Pakse and Savannakhet.

By land
With many border crossing points with Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and China, Laos is easily accessible by land. Most land border crossing points issue Lao visa on arrival.

How to getting around Laos

• Air
Lao Airlines is the national carrier and monopolizes the majority of flights in and out of the country. For domestic flights, Vientiane is the main hub.

• Boat
More than 4600km of navigable rivers are the highways and byways of traditional Laos, the main thoroughfares being the Mekong, Nam Ou, Nam Khan, Nam Tha, Nam Ngum and Se Kong.

Whether it’s on a tourist boat from Huay Xai to Luang Prabang or on a local boat in some remote regions, it’s still worthwhile doing at least one river excursion while in Laos.

• Car & motorcycle
Road infrastructure in Laos is pretty basic.

• Local transport:

• Bus: Vientiane is the only city offer local bust though they’re not much use to travelers.
• Jumbo, Sǎam-lâaw, Sakai-làep, Tuk-tuk: the many three-wheeled vehicles found in Vientiane and other regions have different names depending on where you are.
• Taxi: Vientiane has a handful of taxis that are used by foreign business people and the occasional tourist, though in other cities a taxi of sorts can be arranged.
• Bus, Sǎwngthǎew & Lot Doi Saan: Long-distance public transport in Laos is either by bus or sŏrngtăaou (literally 'two rows'), which are converted pick-ups or trucks with benches down either side. Private operators have established VIP buses on some busier routes, offering faster and more luxurious air-con services that cost a little more than normal buses.